Nissan Pathfinder Maintenance and Repair

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Hi, I need some help figuring out what two error codes mean. I am old school as far as computer cars go. I have a 98 LE 2wd with 70,000 on it and have two codes P0325 which I think is knock sensor 1, circuit bank one and P0420 which I think is catalyst sys. efficiency below threshold bank 1. The car is running fine as far as I can tell. Can any one tell me what to do with this info. What needs replacing or how I trouble shoot from here. I am in Mexico and few mechanics have the info. Thanks for the help in advance.

hi, same problem on my 1992 pathfinder xe, v6 manual. I read these posts and many said the headlight/combo switch on the steering column. I had the passenger side low beam not working but hi working. Replaced it w/ a new one, same problem. BUT, I took out the GOOD bulb on the driver's side, changed THAT bulb and all works fine now. Explain that one??

Hello, i have a 1992 pathfinder (manual v6) XE 4x4. wouldn't start and the ignition assy was replaced (twice so far) I see the previous owner also replaced the relay (which many people thought was the problem) but had the same won't start problem after that and his mechanic said it was the ignition assembly ($200 for part and installation) good luck. Keep posting if any REALLY finds the problem. Hope this doesn't creep up again in a few months.

Hi! I also have a 95 PF 4WD automatic with exactly the same problem! It driving me crazy! I have replaced the starter, cleaned all conections,ect. It will work for weeks at a time then "click" for anywhere between 1 minute to 2 hours. It seems to do this only when car has been running awhile and is hot. I have taken it to 2 mechanics and they can't find it unless it fails for them which it never seems to do! I was wondering if you discovered what it was. If so, please let me know. I am to the point of replacing any and all parts that could be bad regardless if they are bad or not.Thank You, Monty M

I don't know if it applies to Nissan starters, but for the longest time GM starters would fail when hot. They had an intermittant connection inside. It you hear the click of the solonoid but get no cranking it's the starter or the solonoid -unless- all lights go very dim, in which case it's the battery or a connection from the battery (at the battery post). Put a meter or light on the output of the solonoid - if it lights or shows 12V when you are trying to start it's the starter. If the light stays off it's the solonoid.

thanks, finally got good info. This is correct 3 1/8 q w/o filter and 3 5/8 w/ filter. Of course I went to checkers and they said at least 4 qts (after looking on their computer) so I ended up putting too much oil in it for a few days. drained it today and put the correct amt. Thanks for your reply gregorio!

I'm the original owner of an '01 PF, and twice the engine was running very rough and the MIL light was blinking.

The engine seems to be running normally now, and the MIL light is on but no longer blinking.

Both times it happened was after the engine was run for 2 or 3 minutes (not fully warmed up), and then shut off for 10-30 minutes. When the engine was re-started it was running very rough, and the MIL light started blinking, presumably because the engine was misfiring. After both incidents I let the engine completely cool off for several hours, and then it seemed to run normally (but the MIL light was on, but not blinking).

I&#146;ve noticed something like this before, even back to when the truck was new. If you run a cold engine for just a minute or two (such a moving the truck in the driveway), and then come back to use the truck later, the engine will run a bit rough when it&#146;s re-started, but never as rough as it ran the other day, never a check engine light, and the engine will run rough for only a minute or so, and then will run normally.

Anyone have any idea what might be causing this? Does the fuel injection system have something like a cold start valve (similar to a a choke on a vehicle with a carburator)that might be malfunctioning? Thanks in advance for your help.

I have not had any contact with Nissan North America since Nov.2 until yesterday Nov.30. I called the Executive Specialist that is handling my case on Nov.21. I was forwarded to voicemail after no one answered and left a message asking if the findings had been sent to me. After waiting over a week with no reply, I decided to call again yesterday. I was forwarded to voicemail once again. I didn't leave a message this time and immediately called the main number to be transferred to someone else. The transferred me to another person; however, they did not answer and I was once again forwarded to voicemail. I left a message with this other person to call me back. The call was finally returned around 4:20pm yesterday. I was unable to answer at the time, but I called back at 4:27pm and spoke to the person for over 17 minutes. This person found my records and told me they are in contact with Clarion on a regular basis and Clarion corrects their problems effectively. I enlightened him to my research in this matter and said there were at least 100 documented cases of the Clarion 6 disc CD changer breaking multiple times. He did mention that the record shows a denial letter was sent to me. I have never seen this letter, and he said that he would be in contact with me regarding the letter and the matter. I mentioned that I really needed this denial letter to move to the next step. Of course, a lawyer(s) will be involved in the next step. From the correspondence and phone calls, Nissan is still completely denying any problems with the 2001 Bose/Clarion 6-disc changers. I honestly hoped this problem would not escalate to this proportion.

Mine has done it as well. The light should go out after about 10-15 on-off cycles. Sounds like yours was caused by flooding. When started cold the computer goes into "choke mode", injecting extra fuel. If you shut it off before it warms up some of this extra fuel remains liquid in the cylinders and when you restart the engine is still in "choke mode", injecting still more fuel. This will foul one or more spark plugs, causing rough running for awile, until they burn clean.

I think mine is caused by an intermittant connection somewhere in the ignition system.

While I agree Nissan/Clarion should own up to this, I think you are going to waste a lot of your own money and time in this endeavour. It would cost you $1000 or so to replace the radio/CD system. I suspect you're going to spend well over 10x that just to get to court, and there's little chance of beating Nissan there. They have deeper pockets than you! Meaning they can hire much better lawyers than you can afford.

You might have a chance if some govt. agency helped due to some kind of "lemon law".

I've only used my 2001 CD changer a few times so I don't really care if it's junk.

"Security" light blinks continually suggesting system is locked "ON". Obviously the thing won't start or do anything. I have tried opening and closing all doors, windows, etc., have unlocked and relocked everything. I don't even really rely on the system anyway, is there a way to disarm the whole thing? Or is there an easy check I can do without paying a mechanic to endlessly trace wiring?THANKS!

The light normally blinks all the time. You have to use a key with a chip in it that has been entered into the system. If the keys you have suddenly stopped working the only fix is to take it to the dealer. They will re-program the keys into the system. If that doesn't work, then a new imobilizer cpu will be needed, and it will have to be programmed into the engine cpu.

When you say it will not start, it cranks? If it doesn't crank then there may be something else wrong.

Engine will not turn over at all. Same keys I've had since day one. Is a chip embedded in the head of the key? I've seen GM keys with a visible chip in them, no such animal in mine. Someone who supposedly had encountered this same issue in other Nissans suggested it was the security system. Do you know if an OBD readout will help?

If you look at the plastic head of the key, on the "insert side" there is a rectangular piece of plastic. It covers the hole where the chip is. The "security system" is called the "vehicle immobilizer".

I think the immobilizer just stops fuel injection. I'd start by trying to apply power directly to the solonoid. If you can close the solonoid and it still doesn't crank, then it's the starter.

I haven't seen immobilizer data on the OBD port, but I haven't watched that closely.

Mine is a 2001, and I don't have time to run the electronic shop manual right now, but if you're still haveing problems later today I'll check to see what it says.

Don't think it is the starter, here is why. We had called a tow truck. The driver got in before hooking it up. He turned the key three times in rapid succession. Boom...it started right up. Ran perfect. He's the person who told us it was more than likely the security system. We drove it home, turned it off, restarted it right immediately after. Came back out an hour later...it was dead again. We couldn't duplicate what he had done. Go figure...

Looks like the immobilizer has lost the key codes. You don't see the chip -on- the key. It's inside the plastic handle (a wireless detection system). Only solution is a Nissan dealer. You have tried both keys? If so, and neither works, take both and the vehicle to the Nissan dealer and have them reprogram the keys into the immobilizer. I've read of several other owners having the system loose the key codes. Possibly from getting a jump start, possibly from something else.

When an entered key is detected the red light stops flashing.

I don't know of any way to remove the system from the vehicle. If you could it wouldn't be much of a security system, would it? It's tied into the engine ecu.

Can some one please help, I have a 2002 Nissan Pathfinder with about 71,xxx miles. It has been losing oil not leaking,the last couple of oil changes there is no oil on the dip stick. It smokes a little on start up and it's gray, white I guess. The dealership keeps saying there's nothing wrong with it. If someone has the same problem or can help please do.

Your email is not clear. How often are you checking your oil level between oil changes? How often do you change your oil? I think your owner's manual probably suggests checking the oil everytime you fill your truck with fuel. So the oil level is fine everytime you check it, but then all of the sudden the level is way down when you go to change the oil? Seems REALLY odd. But if your truck burns a quart of oil every 2000-3000 miles (would not be terribly unusual for a truck with 71K miles on it), and you are changing your oil every 7500 miles, you could be down 3 quarts by the time your next oil change (but you would be seeing that the oil level on the dipstick is low when you check it...long before your next oil change.

I am still getting the occassional flaring. I am dealing with it by easing off on the accelerator a little. I now have the entire truck shaking like crap. Identical symptom was supposed to be corrected by coils being replaced. I replaced several but not all. I took it to another mechanic and he says the 2 Catalytic converters are shot (Diagnostic codes 420 and 430) and they cost over $800 each plus installation! I also need an O2 sensor x 2 for $140 each. Total estimate is $2,100 Cdn $ plus tax.

When the shaking and rattling happens, which is occassional such as once a week, everything rattles including the steering wheel, rear hatch, etc. Any suggestions now?

This is my second time with this inferior "Bose" top of the line product. Is there anywhere in Houston, Texas to get this products repaired "CORRECTLY". Of course it's holding a CD hostage that I borrowed from someone I'm taking a class with. I'd like to replace this POS without it costing me an "arm and a leg". Help please!!! Thanks.

Some have had luck getting it fixed. Many have not. Check Crutchfield - they have adaptors that will let you have a new head installed that may work a lot better. The adaptor feeds the audio to the "Bose" speaker system, which is non-standard (very low impedance). A new head unit will cost anywhere from $150 to $1000+, depending on what features you want. For example, you can even get a DVD playing unit with fold out screen, GPS, etc.These guys claim they can fix the CD changer: http://www.carstereohelp.com/strnissan.htm

Thanks. Actually I'm not looking to do the repair work myself; I'm looking for a shop here in Houston, Texas to take it to for someone to repair it. I have no time nor the inclination to want to take my vehicle apart to repair it, as I'm trying to work 3 jobs.

I used the www.carstereohelp.com guys for my 2001 disc changer & was very happy with them. DNY42, it's very easy to remove the changer & these guys even have instructions on their website. They have done so many of these repairs that when I called them & started explaining the problem they cut me off at "2001 Nissan Pathfinder" & finished my sentence. I would worry that taking it to a local shop they will repair it only for it to go bad again... but that's just my 2 cents.

Trust me, I so don't want to take it to a shop, as this is the 2nd time it's broken, but I've never taken a CD changer apart in a vehicle in my life (and am concerned about damaging it). So you're telling me that these people are going to be patient enough with me to talk me though taking this apart or answer any questions that I have if I get stuck doing it? I type for a living; I don't disassemble anything.